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Breakfast at Sotheby's

An A-Z of the Art World
3.96 goodreads logo

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( 857 ratings, 80 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Breakfast at Sotheby's offers a fascinating, subjective exploration of the art world, drawing on Philip Hook's 35 years of experience as a senior auctioneer. The book examines artists, styles, art movements, provenance, and market trends in a witty and insightful manner, providing readers with a compact art education that is both comic and revealing.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3299
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for art enthusiasts, collectors, and anyone interested in the inner workings of the art market, Breakfast at Sotheby's appeals to readers seeking an informed yet entertaining perspective on art and its commerce.

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A revealing exploration of how art acquires its financial value.

Comic, revealing, piquant, splendid and absurd, Breakfast at Sotheby's is a book of pleasure and intelligent observation.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Breakfast at Sotheby's offers an entire art education contained in under 350 pages. Wry, dry, and completely beguiling, as noted by the Guardian in their Books of the Year 2013.

Fascinating and highly subjective, this book is built on Philip Hook's thirty-five years of experience in the art market. It explores the artist and his hinterland, covering topics such as -isms, middle-brow artists, Gericault, and suicides. It delves into subject and style, from abstract art and banality through surrealism and war. The book also examines 'wall-power', provenance, and market weather.

Comic, revealing, piquant, splendid, and absurd, Breakfast at Sotheby's is a book of pleasure and intelligent observation.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised as "an entire art education contained in under 350 pages" (Guardian) and "an ideal volume for the art-lover's bedside" (Spectator), Hook's work is noted for its wry, dry humour and erudition. The Financial Times highlights its piquant and humorous insight into the economics of taste, while the Sunday Times commends its refreshing irreverence and wisdom.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780718192457

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 06 November 2014

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 272g

Pages: 368

About the Author

Philip Hook is a director and senior paintings specialist at Sotheby's. He has worked in the art world for thirty-five years, during which time he has also been a director of Christie's and an international art dealer. He is the author of five novels and two works of art history, including The Ultimate Trophy, a history of the Impressionist Painting. Hook has appeared regularly on television, from 1978-2003 on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow.

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